| Abdul Hakiim Yakof |
AMONG the earliest scholars who spoke on plants in Al-Quran and Hadith is Al-Imam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jauziyyah. In his book ‘Thibbun Nabawi’, he has listed the plants in Al-Quran, detailing their goodness and uses mentioned in related Hadiths.
This was stated by Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti, while making the keynote presentation at the international symposium titled ‘Ethnobotany in the Quran and Hadith – An Exploration’. It was jointly organised by Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s (UBD) Faculty of Science (FOS), Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER), and Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies (SOASCIS) at UBD’s Chancellor Hall yesterday.
Scholars discussed dates such as balah, busr, ruthab, ajwah and tamar. Types of grapes include zabib (raisins or dried grapes), bashal (shallots), cans, raihan (basil), olives, rumman (pomegranates), zanjabil (ginger) and others, he said.
The State Mufti explained that the scholars continue to expand their studies with more diversity, encompassing all the plants in Al-Quran, including trees, plants and vegetables as well as plants in paradise and hell.
“They have managed to list so many plants and strived to scientifically name each plant, yet this does not signal an end to the studies,” he noted.
According to him, plants are infinite in number and Al-Quran mentions only some specific plant names and calls others generally through words such as ‘syajara’ or ‘asy-syajara’ or ‘asy syajarata’ (tree) and ‘nabata’ or ‘anbatat’ or ‘anbatna’ (grow). These words represent all kinds of plants.
“Today, a good tendency has developed, and now the community has begun to take interest in herbs, to the point that farms and herb gardens are appearing everywhere.
“With all their shapes and forms as well as uses such as food, decoration and the like, consumption alone without knowing the benefits each plant has to offer is not enough, as we easily underestimate the type vegetable, herb or fruit, and end up missing out on their potential and benefits,” he noted.
He brought up one example, the Cosmos Caudatus, or locally known as Ulam Raja which is believed to come from Latin America, but can be easily grown in all Southeast Asian countries. A favourite among the local elderly, it is the key to health as stated in a study published in a neurology journal, which also found that those who regularly consume half-a-bowl of Ulam Raja daily has the same strong memory as those who are much younger, compared to those who do not or rarely consume it, the State Mufti said.
He elaborated that “a person who does not know the nutritional value of vegetables, herbs or fruits may consume them out of preference or habit. If the food is coincidentally nutritious, then he is fortunate, or vice versa. Some foods may have goodness but cannot be eaten excessively as it might become harmful.
“This is the importance of research. If there is no research, we will only consume without knowing about the nutrients,” he said.
“It has been learnt that UBD has identified 290 species of herbs, but in fact, this is just a measure of collecting data, something common, as anyone can collect data. But the big challenge here is to study each of these herbs.”
The State Mufti encouraged the study and research of the 290 species of herbs to make people familiar with their nutritional value, and recommended using them to promote health and cure diseases.
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